Where the law stands, Dossier 2024/0098(COD)
General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM): fishing in the GFCM Agreement area
Amending Regulation (EU) No 2023/2124 on certain provisions for fishing in the GFCM (General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean) Agreement area
Ordinary legislative procedure (COD): Parliament and the Council decide together as equals. · First reading
A proposed EU law. Parliament and the Council must agree on the same text: Parliament adopts its position, then negotiates with the Council.
Where it stands
Plenary vote
Parliament approved the text agreed with the Council on 15 September 2026. The Council must now adopt it formally before it is published as law.
- Referred to committee(done) 16 September 2024
- Committee work(done) Report adopted 16 July 2025
- Tabled for plenary(done) 23 July 2025
- Negotiations with the Council(done) Deal approved in committee 3 June 2026
- Plenary vote(done) Adopted 15 September 2026
- Published as law(to come)
Decided in plenary
15 September 2026 · decision 6
Agriculture, food & fisheries, New EU law
General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM): fishing in the GFCM Agreement area
Passed 580 for · 51 against · 39 abstained by an overwhelming majority
AI summary:Parliament is considering a proposal to amend an existing European Union regulation on certain provisions for fishing in the area covered by the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) Agreement.
What changed
Committee draft → Tabled for plenary
AI summary:The new version adds recitals and provisions on recent GFCM recommendations, including on European eel, red coral, blackspot seabream, common dolphinfish and turbot, and drops many recitals on 2023 recommendations. It changes definitions and provisions on catch certificates, designated landing points, data collection, fleet capacity, vessel monitoring systems, and fisheries restricted areas. It removes justifications on freshwater fisheries, internal waters, vessel monitoring systems, FADs and other points. The other changes are formal or wording: updated citations, rephrased provisions and renumbered rows.
Who works on it
- Lead committee
- Fisheries
- The MEP who drafts the report and negotiates it on behalf of the committee.
- Željana Zovko (EPP)
- An MEP who follows a report on behalf of their own group when another group holds the rapporteur.
- Thomas Bajada (S&D), Anna Maria Cisint (Patriots), Giuseppe Milazzo (ECR), Emma Wiesner (Renew), Isabella Lövin (Greens), Mep #256961 (The Left)
The text, version by version
Newest first.
Adopted by Parliament· 15 Sept 2026
AI summary:Parliament's position at first reading amends Regulation (EU) 2023/2124, which implements GFCM recommendations for fishing in the GFCM Agreement area.
Tabled for plenary· 23 Jul 2025
Committee draft· 25 Feb 2025
AI summary:The rapporteur's draft report sets out Parliament's position at first reading on a Commission proposal to amend Regulation (EU) No 2023/2124 on fishing in the GFCM area.
Timeline
Newest first.
Plenary stage 2 steps
15 September 2026
Plenary vote
Sitting of 15 Sept 2026 Adopted text TA10-0281/2026Report A10-0150/2025
9 September – 15 September 2026
130 amendments tabled for the plenary vote
Groups propose changes to the tabled text; each is voted on before the final vote.
Negotiations with the Council 2 steps
3 June 2026
Committee approved the deal reached with the Council
The provisional agreement from the trilogues goes to the whole Parliament for a vote.
10 September 2025
Plenary endorsed the mandate to negotiate with the Council
Parliament’s negotiators can now seek a compromise text with the Council (in “trilogues”).
Plenary stage 1 step
23 July 2025
Report tabled for plenary
This is the text all MEPs vote on. Political groups can still table amendments to it.
Committee stage 4 steps
16 July 2025
Committee vote: report adopted
PECH (Fisheries) voted on the amendments and adopted the report that goes to plenary.
16 April 2025
Amendments tabled in committee
Members of PECH (Fisheries) proposed changes to the draft.
25 February 2025
Draft report published
The rapporteur’s first text in PECH (Fisheries). Members can table amendments before the committee votes.
16 September 2024
Referred to the PECH (Fisheries) committee
The lead committee prepares Parliament’s report.
Official record: Legislative Observatory, 2024/0098(COD)